1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to container security and supply chain management and, more particularly, to the tracking and coordination of a plurality of containers organized into groups or lots as a single shipment.
2. Background of the Invention
In today's efficiency conscious transportation environment, there is a strong need to cost-effectively and accurately track the location of containers, and groups of containers shipped together as a lot, at various stages during the supply chain. This need exists both in the United States and abroad.
Despite the strong need, few solutions, if any, have been able to provide the accuracy needed to suit the transportation industry and the government agencies charged with monitoring shipments. This lack of an acceptable solution is due to many factors which complicate interstate and international shipping. Shipping containers are used to transport most of the commerce entering, leaving, and transiting or moving within the United States. It is estimated that there are over 6 million containers moving in global commerce. Shipping containers have revolutionized the transportation of goods by greatly reducing the number of times goods must be loaded and unloaded during transport. However, at the same time, this same advantage has created a major problem in that it is very difficult to monitor and track the location of each container during transport and in most cases the containers look very similar, so it is virtually impossible to ascertain the contents of containers without opening them up to inspect them. Furthermore, it is even more difficult to determine which containers are to be grouped together as a lot or shipment. In the transportation industry lots are used as a means of tracking a shipment or order. A lot can be made up of tens, hundreds, or thousands of a single item packed in multiple containers, or it can be comprised of an assortment of items used such as a kit of parts required for a single system packed into multiple containers.
Cargo vessels carry hundreds or thousands of containers and many of them look alike. These containers are stacked in the hull of these vessels and also stacked above decks as well. As part of the supply chain, containers are often loaded at the factory or distribution source, and then ideally will remain as a group unit or lot they reach their final destination. However, during the transit process containers may be moved several times. Due to the high number of containers and the number ports, warehouses, or stops a vessel or other transportation mode may encounter prior to the final destination, there is a reasonable probability that one or more of the containers designated as a member of a lot may be separated from the others. This scenario creates a huge problem in that incomplete shipments create a major issue for the suppliers, shippers, and purchasers or these goods.
As previously noted sea containers are often shipped in groups or lots. These lots may have common or inter-related cargo, come from the same manufacturer, be destined for the same delivery point, or have common paperwork linking the lot of containers together. These factors result in the desire to monitor and maintain knowledge of the location and status of all containers in the lot. This capability may improve efficiency and reduce attritions due to loss or theft.
3. Description of the Related Art
A container security system as described by System Planning Corporation (SPC) (U.S. Pat. No. 7,098,784) herein referred to as “the SPC Invention”, performs many of the functions to monitor containers, their content, and to detect tampering within a container during transit. This is accomplished through a device which is located on a container and performs multiple functions. Some of these functions may include controlling various sensors, collecting the data from these sensors and transmitting this data back to a central monitoring station. The central monitoring stations may also send commands and information to the device location in the each container.
To enable information to be transmitted to and from the container, there are several communications subsystems including a satellite or cellular communications device, or both. The SPC invention also describes the utilization of a short range wireless or local area communication channel to communicate with various sensors and other elements within the container. The system utilizes the satellite or cellular communications channel to communicate and send status and alarms to a central monitoring station.
A problem with the SPC invention is that it does not address the issues of tracking containers as lots or groups. Furthermore, the SPC invention does not go as far as to suggest utilizing either the GPS location or the short range wireless communications device to develop a system to track groups of containers.